


The Scariest Person on Earth (And All the Other Eight Realms)

by Medie



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-20
Updated: 2016-09-20
Packaged: 2018-08-16 03:50:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 655
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8085946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Medie/pseuds/Medie
Summary: "find someone who is scared of precisely no one in this world, including you, and make that person your assistant" -- aka the best damn advice Nick Fury ever got.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tygermama](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tygermama/gifts).



> written for dearest tygermama who made the mistake of asking for someone to talk about Nick Fury's assistant..aka the most terrifying person at SHIELD.

A long time ago, when he had both eyes and less issues, Peggy Carter had looked at him one day. It had been a _look_. One so weary and put-upon that he could almost see the waves of aggravated fondness radiating off her features. “Some day, Nicholas, you’ll be sitting in this chair, and do you know what your first order of business is?”

He’d raised both eyebrows. “Find the sonuvabitch that killed you?”

She’d spared a moment to smile, gentle and _warm_ in a way promised vengeance probably shouldn’t invoke, then said, “Fine. Do you know what your _second_ order of business is?”

He’d shaken his head because he couldn’t even imagine a day she wouldn’t be running SHIELD anymore than he could imagine himself doing it.

Peggy’s smile turned to crusty annoyance at the woman who swished through the door and dumped a pile of papers in front of her and held out a pen, “Sign these before the world goes to even more shit than it already is."

“Your second order of business, Nicholas,” Peggy had said, taking said pen and doing exactly as told, “is to find someone who is scared of precisely no one in this world, including you, and make that person your assistant.”

“And pay them better than you, too,” the woman, whose name Nick was officially too damn scared to ask for, smirked. “Otherwise she’ll quit and you’re fucked and not in the fun way, either.”

Peggy sighed. “Yes, that.”

When he does get the job, he thinks for a second, that person might be Phil Coulson, except Phil gives him this _betrayed_ look when he suggests leaving the field.

“Goddamn it, Phil, it’s a _promotion_.“

“Not from where I’m standing, sir,” Coulson replies. “Besides, whoever takes that job needs to be scarier than me.”

May says no too.

And then he meets Louisa at the grocery store.

She’s five foot nothing, big curls and big eyes, fresh out of high school, and as sweet as pie to him every time he sees her. He’s reasonably sure she hasn’t got a mean bone in her body.

That gets blown out of the water the night he drops in on his way home to get a barbecued chicken and some salad.

Louisa’s up front by herself. He waves on his way through, she smiles back, and it’s any normal night.

Until, that is, he comes back from the deli department to find her being cursed at by  
a seven foot plus monstrosity that makes _Nick_ take a step back.

But not Louisa.

She straightens up to all her five foot-nothingness, holds out a slip of paper, and smiles. “The truck should be in tomorrow with the hams, sir, but in the meantime, here’s a raincheck just in case you can’t make it in. Have a _lovely_ evening.”

And the monstrosity? He looks from the paper to Louisa and back to the paper again.

Nick takes a step closer, wishing to hell he hadn’t left his gun in the car, but before he gets there?

The monstrosity _takes the paper and smiles back_. It’s meek, mild, and polite as hell and then he turns around and walks out.

Louisa nods once and then turns to her next customer with a smile that’s as sweet as ever. It’s the same one she gives Phil when he’s late with his reports, the same one she gives Barton every time he’s... _Barton_ , and it’s the same one she gives Nick every time he brings her a hot chocolate and the signed authorization slips she asked for...

_Three days ago._

Nick Fury is a simple man with few joys in his life, but by god, that woman scaring the living daylights out of everyone from the God of Thunder to the Joint Chiefs is definitely one of them.

Also?

Never try and fake your death without warning your assistant?

Seriously.

_NEVER. DO. IT._


End file.
